Well packer



June 1, 1937. v L, A LAYNE ET A 2,082,113

WELL PACKER Filed Dec. 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L.A.LAYNE. \.-.C .MuNoTINVENTOR ATTORNEYrS.

Patented June 1, 1937 WELL PACKER Leslie A. Layne and Louis 0. Mundt,Houston, Tex.;- said Mundt assignmto said Layne Application December 3,1934, Serial No. 755,721

16 Claims.

The invention relates to a well packer and particularly of the type tobe set where a maximum expansion is required.

I The packers which are set in open holes are usually required to expanda considerable distance because it is not uncommon that such a packermust be lowered through a pipe or casing before a packer having guidefingers to control the expanding movement and to protect the packer whenit is expanded.

Another object of the invention is to provide spaced members on thepacking in combination with slits in the packing sothat a maximumexpansion of the packing may be had.

Still another object of the invention is to provide slits in the packingso that it may expand radially a maximum distance without straining thematerial of which the packing is formed.

Another object of the invention is to provide slits in a packing memberso as to free the material for radial expansion in such a manner thatsegmental overlapping portions are formed to complete the packing seal.

Still another object of the invention is to provide staggered slits inthe packing material so that irregular spiral segments will be formed asthe packing is expanded.

Still another object of the invention is to provide staggered verticalslits in the packing so that regular staggered segments will be formedwhen the packing is'expanded.

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent whenthe following description is considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein: 45 'Fig. 1 is a side elevation of oneform of the packer with the parts assembled in position to be loweredinto the well.

Fig. 2 shows the packer expanded in the well engaging the formation andillustrating the ar- 50 rangement oi the folding of the segments andexpansion of the guide fingers.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking down on thetop of the expanded packer and illustrating the arrangement of the Fig.4 is a side elevation of a modified form of the packer with the partsassembled ready to be lowered into the well.

Fig. 5 shows the packer of Fig. 4 in expanded position and illustratingthe regular arrangement 5 of the expanded segments.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6--6 of. Fig. 5 and illustratingthe circumferential arrangement of the segments and the folding of themateriaL- 10 The particular construction of the spacing of the packingand the flexible fingers at the top of the packing is disclosed m thecopending application of Leslie A. Layne and Harold C. Block, Serial755,720, filed December 3, 1934, for a Casing packer and this generaltype of packer in combination with a whipstock as shown in the patent toLayne 2,020,471, granted November 2, 1935.

The packer is shown in assembled position in Fig. 1 where a pipe 2 isillustrated as extending below the packer. This pipe is threaded at 3 toreceive any desired length of pipe which will serve as a base for thepacking. The upper end of the pipe 2 is slotted at 3 to form a pluralityF of jaws 4 which are provided with teeth 5 to engage correspondingteeth on the mandrel I. These teeth are downward facing, as seen in Fig.2, so that they will prevent upward movement of the mandrel l withrespect to the pipe 2. It is to be understood that the packer iscollapsed by relative telescoping movement of the mandrel 1 into thepipe 2.

The mandrel 1 serves as a support for the packing III which is seen inFig. 1 as having been 5 wrapped about the mandrel in circular layerswhich may be applied either spirally or longitudinally if desired. Thelength of the packing as viewed in Fig. l, which is applied to themandrel, will be varied in accordance with the size of the 40 hole to bepacked and the amount of expansion which is required. The upper end ofthe packing is fixed to the mandrel 1 directly beneath a collar I! bymeans of wrappings of wire l3 which securely confine the upper end ofthe packing.

- The lower end of the packing is similarly confined by the wires I 4 onthe upper end of the pipe 2 against the reduced portion [5 thereof. Inthis manner the ends of the packing are confined upon two separate partsso that upon telescoping of these parts the packing will be expanded. 1

A shear pin I I is seen in Fig. 1 as retaining the pipe 2 and mandrel lin assembled position. This pin will be sheared as seen in Fig. 2 whenthe setting of the packer is to be accomplished by lowering the weightof the. pipe 40 or setting string onto the pipe 2 and mandrel I.

In order to control the expansion and obtain the desired diameter ofpacking a plurality of spaced wires or other confining means I! arearranged about the outer periphery of the packing as seen in Fig. 1.During the expanding operation of course these wires restrain thepacking at spaced points so that it is caused to be collapsed in theform of the folds l8 of Fig. 2. The folds will increase the diameter ofthe packing substantially half the distance between the spaced wires I!so that by positioning these wires on the packing at the desiredintervals different diameter packing seals may be obtained. It will beparticularly noted that adjacent the upper and lower ends these wires I!have been spaced more closely together so as to control the diameter ofthe folds and in this manner the smaller folds I9, 20 and 2| areobtained. In this manner the packer in expanded position provides agradually expanded sealing body, as seen in Fig. 2, which will tend toform a more perfect seal. The intermediate folds 2| and 22 may be of thesame diameter so that they will abut against each other in packedrelationship to form a perfect seal.

In order to guide the expansion of the packer and to insure its properpositioning as well as to guard it against injury while it is beinglowered into the well and while it is in expanded position a ring 30 hasbeen positioned both above and below the packer. Each of these rings isformed with the spring fingers 3| which overlie the first few folds ofthe packing and will be caused to expand as the packing expands. Thesefingers serve as a protecting cover for the packer and confine itbetween the two sets of fingers as seen in Fig. 2. These fingers insurethat the packer will assume the form desired when it is collapsed andhave been found to be exceptionally satisfactory in actual use.

It will be appreciated that when the packing is wrapped about themandrel 4 the expansive movement upon collapsing is limited by thematerial which accumulates during the collapsing operation. In order,however. that the expanding movement may be unrestrained and the material may fold outwardly a maximum amount a plurality of slits such as35 have been formed in the packing intermediate the spaced wires l1.

As seen in Fig. 1, these slits 35 are in more or less staggeredrelationship to define independent segments of the packing material. InFig. 1 each segment 36 is somewhat in the form of a parallelogram, theupper end 31 of which is staggered with respect to the lower end 38 sothat an irregular folded segment is formed as best seen in Fig. 2; thesesegments being irregular will overlap each other in irregular lines sothat they abut against each other to form a complete and solid sealagainst the wall 39 of the well bore 38. As previously pointed out thespacing of the wires Il determines the diameter of the fold which willbe obtained upon expansion of the segments.

In operation the device will be assembled as seen in Fig. 1 and loweredinto the well bore until the desired elevation is reached. It is usualto extend the pipe on the lower end of the connection 3'- the desiredlength so that the packer will be positioned at the desired elevation.Thus when the pipe on the connection 3' engages the bottom of the holeor an obstruction the pipe 2 will be restrained against any furtherdownward movement. The packer will be lowered into the well by a stringof pipe 40 which is connected into the coupling l2 and continuedlowering of this string of pipe will cause the mandrel I to telescopeinside of the pipe 2. The teeth 5 will click past the teeth 6 and thepacker will be gradually expanded. The folding operation will occur sothat the segments take the position shown in Fig. 2 and the folds willmove outwardly against the wall 39 of the formation. The teeth 5restrain the mandrel I from moving upwardly and'h'old the packer in thiscollapsed or expanded position. The fingers 3| overlie both the upperand lower ends of the packer during this expanding movement and guide itto the position shown in Fig. 2.

The construction and operation of the modified form of the packer shownin Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is almost identical with that of Figs. 1, 2 and 3,with the exception of the particular formation of the segments of thepacking. In Fig. 4 it will be seen that the slits 50 are substantiallyvertically arranged between the spaced wires I! so that verticalrectangular segments 5| are formed. These segments are staggered asrespects each tier 52 and 53 so that when the packer is expanded theywill assume the position shown in Fig. 5. The abutting edges 56 and 51of adjacent segments will be forced into close contact with each otherto form the desired seal. A packer of this sort will obtain a maximumexpansion without distortion of the material because of the slots 50. InFig.6 the open spaces 55 between any two segments in the same tierwill-of course be' closed by'the staggered segment in the next tier. InFig. 6 the edge of the staggered segment beneath the opening 55 isillustrated at 58.

The operation of the packer of Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is the same aspreviously described. Either form of the packer may be used dependingupon the expansion desired, the formation encountered or such othercircumstances as may necessarily cause the use of one or the other formsof the invention.

The outer surface of the mandrel 1 in Fig. 5 is shown as smooth withoutthe ratchet teeth. It is intended that with this construction the weightof the pipe Ill will be suflicient to collapse the packer and maintainit in the expanded position.

What isclaimed as new is:

1. An open hole packer for wells including a mandrel, a packing, meansto-fix said packing to one end of said mandrel, a sleeve telescopicallyarranged over the other end of said mandrel, cooperating ratchet teethon said sleeve and mandrel to hold the packer collapsed aftertelescoping of said sleeve and mandrel, slots in said packer and aseries of expansible fingers overlying the upper and lower ends of thepacking to guide the initial expansion thereof and to maintain thepacking against movement after expansion. 2. An open hole packer forwells wherein a maximum of expansion is required including a support, aslotted packing positioned thereon, means to expand the packingincluding a setting sleeve, and means at each end of the packing toconfine the packing in expanding position.

3. An open hole packer for wells wherein a maximum of expansion isrequired including a support, a fabric packing positioned thereon,slotted portions in said packer, means to expand the packing, means ateach end of the packing to means on the packing to determine the foldingthereof as the packing is expanded.

4. A packer for wells where a maximum expansion is required including asupport, a fabric packing positioned thereon, slots in said packing,means confining the packing at spaced distances to determine the maximumdiameter of the packing when it is expanded, and sets of flexiblefingers above and below the packing to overlie and protect the packing.

5. A packer -for wells including a support. a packing thereon, spacedmeans encircling the exterior of the packing to confine the packing to apredetermined diameter as it is expanded, and slots in the packing toallow expansion.

6. In a well packer, a body of packing material,

and slots cut in the packing at spaced points so that the packing mayfold radially outward whenexpanded.

I 7. Ina well packer, a circular body of packing material, spaced meansto determine the folds of the packing as it is expanded, and slots inthe packing between said means so that the packing will expand insegments.

8. In a well packer, a packing support, a body of packing material onsaidsupport, and slits formed in the'packing in staggered relationshipwhereby the packing constitutes staggered segments when expanded.

9.- In a .well packer, a packing support, a body of packing material onsaid support, and slits formed in the packing in staggered relationshipwhereby the pachng may expand radially when collapsed longitudinally.

10. In a well packer, a-packing support,.a body of packing materialonsaid support, and-slits formed in the packing in staggered relationshipwhereby the packing may expand radially when 40 collapsedlongitudinally, and spaced means to determine the expanded diameter ofthepacking. 11. A well packer including a body of packing material, asupport around which said body is positioned, andstaggered spiral slitson the packing to facilitate its expansion.

12. A well packer includinga body of packing material; a support aroundwhich said body is positioned, and staggered vertical slits on thepacking to facilitate its expansion.

13. A well packer including a body of packing material, a support aroundwhich said body is positioned, and staggered spiral slits on the packingto facilitate its expansion, and spaced means to confine the packer atthe ends of said slits.

14. A well packer including a body of pack 15 ing material, a supportaroimd which said body is positioned, and staggered vertical slits onthe packing to facilitate its expansion, and spaced means to confine thepacker at the ends of said slits.

15. A packer for wells where a maximum expansion is required including asupport, a packing positioned thereon, meansto collapse the packer, andmeans confining the packing at spaced distances to determine the maximumdiameter of 'the packing when it is expanded, the spacing of said meansbeing varied to determine the contour of expanded packing.

- 16. In a well packer, a packing support,

of packing material on said support, and slits a-body,

formed in the packingin stag" cred relationship whereby the expandedpacking constitutes staggered segments ,forced into the formation ofwell bore to cause the formation to be forced into the spaces betweenthe segments of the packing body; thereby interlocking .the formation.and the packer.

' LESLIE A. LAYNE.

LOUIS C. MW. 0

